This was a very fun retelling of Merlin but with a twist. I always enjoy when women can take the spotlight in traditionally male roles. A female “Merlin” (though there is an actual Merlin and she is not it) was a lot of fun to read about and her character was so strong and smart. I don’t particularly enjoy magic but since I know about Merlin and that story, I could find things I liked about this fantastical kingdom. I mostly read romance so the romance that was interspersed between the pages between the various characters was a big plus for me to keep reading even if it wasn’t truly the center of the novel itself. The author has a very strong control over the language and her writing shows a lot of skill, I was very happy with how she wrote and her ability to really paint a picture. Everything felt so real despite the fantastical elements portrayed.